Trout Republic: I like a good story, but….

There is nothing like a good story and the telling of such is as much a part of the success of that endeavor as is the storyline.


Before the invention of the radio and television, people used to do what was called “visiting.” They would gather in the evenings or a Sunday afternoon and talk about the events of the day or week. And there was always some character present who had developed the talent of storytelling to a precise art.


They say Davy Crockett was just such a man and he could spin yarns about homey subjects bringing about raucous roars from the crowds around him and endearing him to everyone he met.


Now Ol’ Dutch can tell a pretty good story himself and even Miss Trixie, the expert in everything, says I never let the truth get in the way of a good story. But it does have its limits and the internet is rife with countless feel good or feel sad stories these days.


The other day I read about a man who at age 17 had rescued an elephant in India. The elephant had a huge chunk of branch embedded in his foot and approached the man, raising his foot seemingly to ask him to remove it.


Taking huge risks to life and limb he carefully dug it out and the elephant trumpeted and raised his foot several times as if to say thank you. Fast forward 50 years and the same man is standing at a zoo in Chicago watching an elephant when suddenly the two locked eyes.


The great animal raised his foot and trumpeted. The man knew instantly this was the same elephant he had rescued those many decades before. Climbing over the fence he approached the mighty beast which grabbed the man up in his trunk and bashed him against the tree trunk until he was dead.


The moral of the story being, must not have been the same elephant.


That story is typical of what you can get online on any given day and they range from horrifying to cutesy but mainly are sad which I guess makes women cry which is what they seem to want.


I remember hearing that women do like a good cry once in a while and will seek out a sad movie or book to give them the impetus to bawl it out. Which is pretty sad in and of itself since all they really would have to do is hang around Ol’ Dutch for a while and they would have plenty to cry about.


And that is one reason I do believe Miss Trixie continues to hang around. Who says I am good for nothing? Well, a lot of people do and this just proves them wrong.


Of late we are fed a constant barrage of news about the rich and famous and their hardships like poor Kim and Kanye or Harry and Meghan. And today I read where Harry’s royal sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, is under so much stress from being overworked.


I don’t know about you all but it’s pretty hard for me to feel sorry for the swells -- that’s people who think they are swell -- when they have enough money to do anything they want and still complain.


Now, I do feel sympathy for poor Prince Harry who had to give up not only hunting but all his guns too after marrying the American tornado Meghan.


I can understand giving up a lot of things like drunk friends, late night carousing, a princely lifestyle, unlimited travel and entertainment and ritzy parties for a wife but when a man surrenders his weapons and ability to provide meat for the table, he might as well surrender his man card, too.


No wonder Harry is so sad. I could solve his dilemma in about five minutes with a hunting trip out here to elk hunt and would be more than happy to accompany him too.


Maybe Miss Trixie could even teach Miss Meghan a thing or two about cooking wild game.


And, then the royals would know what eating high on the hog really means.

Kevin Kirkpatrick and his Yorkie, Cooper, fish, hunt, ATV or hike daily. His email is [email protected]. Additional news can be found at www.troutrepublic.com or on Twitter at TroutRepublic